sometimes the most beautiful things are broken
heartbreakingly beautiful: a review of fuyumi soryo's 'mars'
Mars is the Roman god of war, rage, destruction and passion. Fuyumi Soryo’s fifteen volume manga series of the same name embodies the attributes of the god it pays titular homage to.
Captivating readers through its brutal realism, it’s a story full of love, art, motorcycle races, emotional adversity, murder and sociopaths.
Sometimes the most beautiful things are broken, and every so often the same can be said of people. This carefully written manga charts the love story of two people who are bewitching and intriguing, and yet emotionally fractured.
The series is a shojo romance by genre, but realistically is akin to a soap opera. It discusses a wide range of societal issues, with a large focus on sexual abuse, rape and the mental effects of these experiences.
If Skins UK was a manga, it would be this series. This claim can be made in part with regards to the severity of the issues discussed, but also because of the attentive way with which the characters have been crafted.
Not only is the love story between Rei Kashino and Kira Aso outstanding, but their characters are deeply complex, with each suffering from their own psychological trauma, making for an engrossing read.
In addition to an enthralling story, the manga is exceptionally well designed. The art is equally as mesmerising as the story itself is. The panels exhibit the beauty of the characters, whilst also holding a dream-like quality within them which adds to the wonder of the reading experience.
To put it succinctly, Mars is a heartbreakingly beautiful piece about how two broken people can sometimes find the ability to be whole again together.